hogie Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 This was supposedly done professionally. I finally got around to checking out the undercoating on the front frame rails. After I dug around a bit I found some pop riveted plates. After popping those off I found they filled the holes with great stuff. On the inside edge of the frame rails is a big peice of angle iron bolted through at the engine cradle, sway bars, and at the back. After pulling out the foam it looks like the inside edge of the frame is relatively sound. Also, ahead of and behind the hole feels quite solid. If I can weld the inside frame rails to the angle iron and the plate the outside with 1/8 inch steal would this be an acceptable fix? I am not looking the replace these rails unless I have too. I have heard that bigdog has front frame rails, but all I have seen is the under floor and rear sections. Please check out these pics and let me know what you think. This is the angle iron reinforcing the rails. http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z82/wangchung_01/240z/240z%20front%20frame%20rails/DSCF3968.jpg[/img Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK-Z Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 most like done by a body shop. Most body shop guys don't like to play with the welder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evildky Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 all the jagged rusty parts need to be cut otu so you cna have dolis metal to weld to, as fot he L chanel they stuffed inthere, I'd pull it out, it might be hiding or holding more rust Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonycharger72 Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 Hey, that looks like the rust repairs done on my Ford Fairlane ! I purchased an old Ford Fairlane and instead of cutting out the rust, the person who ever did the repairs just cleaned up the rusted area, filled it with foam (or something similar to that to fill the hole) and lay fibreglass and plenty of bog down over the top of it - when I got my hands on the car this whole area was starting to crack, I think dodgy repair shops do that ! I would cut the whole area out like evildky advised! A 65mm x 65mm piece of steel would replace that frame rail nicely!!! If you don't weld, take it to steel/metal fabricator, like someone who installs roll-cages regulary - they usually charge a lot less than body shops! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hogie Posted June 7, 2009 Author Share Posted June 7, 2009 I can weld, maybe not the best, but I think good enough to fix this. As far as yanking out the angle iron that is already there I am not sure that would be a good idea. My jackstands are underneath it for one and without it my engine would fall out...on the passenger side it looks like the section just above the crossmember rotted away on either side of that area is relatively solid. From looking inside the frame I can see most of the problems on the inside edge and they are not as severe or at least don't appear to be. Is it safe to move my jackstands to just behind the tension rod arms? I would be more comfortable yanking out the peice that is in there now if so. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonycharger72 Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 Honestly mate, I would drop the crossmember and cut that entire section out, looks like its also a bit of the inner fender wall as well, looks pretty stuffed! You could just run bolts through the chassis rails like it appears whoever, um, "fixed" the rails before, or you could build a whole new section, which more closely resembles the original chassis rail crossmember bolt section! This is a little bit larger than actually required, but you get the idea ! I have regulary put jack stands under the TC buckets, plus you could always use a scissor jack on the pinch welds along the side of the car! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hogie Posted June 7, 2009 Author Share Posted June 7, 2009 Unfortunatley, I dont have a factory style scissor jack...my luck I would find something else filled with foam the hard way! That frame rail looks a bit over built! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo7MN Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 That is some scary stuff, it is amazing what people call "professionally done" but I guess someone got paid to make a mess of that car. That being said I wouldn't drive the car until it was fixed properly, the 280z I just parted had a frame rail coming through the floor from being driven after it had rusted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hogie Posted June 7, 2009 Author Share Posted June 7, 2009 I still have this and the wiring to sort through before it is drivable. For some odd reason I started at the back of the car and worked forward. Everything from the middle back is in great condition now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hogie Posted August 2, 2009 Author Share Posted August 2, 2009 I have been putting in a fence at my house lately so havent had much time to do any updates. Essentially the only real work I have done on the car lately is wiring. Luckily that seems to be working at least. I finally got a chance to pull out the angle iron and see what is left of the frame rails. Honestly the inside edge is not anywhere near as bad as I feared. Also the area around the frame double is solid. Here is what we are left with on the drivers side. I need to get a couple more jack stands before i drop the other side down. Judging by the rust on the angle Iron I wonder if it was actually driven with that as a repair for awhile? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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